This study addresses effects of expectancy-inconsistent behaviors on two characteristics of person impressions: the target person 's perceived position and fit within a multidimensional trait structure of Implicit Personality Theory (IPT). Inconsistency was manipulated with respect to two dimensions of IPT evaluation and potency. Behaviors with inconsistent evaluation implications did not affect the impressions. Inconsistencies on potency produced an asymmetry: Unexpected strong behaviors had the effect of higher ratings on traits reflecting high-potency, but not proportionately lower ratings on low-potency traits (producing a shift in the target's position as well as a decrease in the target's fit within subjects'IPT); effects of unexpected weak behaviors were substantially smaller. Thus effects of inconsistent information depended on (a) dimension of contrast (evaluation/potency), (b) valence of initial expectancy, and (c) valence of response trait scales.
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Roos Vonk (1995) studied this question.
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